Zecevic: Grenell could announce U.S. positions on the organization of power in Kosovo

The Director of the Institute for European Studies in Belgrade, Slobodan Zecevic, commented on unofficial reports from Pristina that the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions, Richard Grenell, is expected to visit Kosovo in the coming days. He suggested that Grenell might convey Washington’s positions regarding the organization of power in Kosovo and its relations with the Serbs.

Zecevic emphasized that major powers, such as the U.S., never set aside any issue entirely.

"Of course, major powers have certain priorities, but a great power wants to exert influence in all parts of the world. Richard Grenell's visit will send a message from the new U.S. administration to the Albanian authorities—what stance they take on the crisis in Kosovo and the government there. That is how I interpret Grenell's visit. The administration and the situation have changed. Grenell knows this region well, as he was involved in the creation of the Washington Agreement. Therefore, I believe he will announce the U.S. positions regarding the organization of power in Kosovo and relations with the Serbs," Zecevic told Kosovo Online.

He is convinced that the U.S. can influence the formation of a new government in Pristina, given that Kosovo is entirely dependent on American and Western aid.

"The entity they call a state is not economically or independently sustainable. Therefore, U.S. assistance is crucial for them, which is why the U.S. has political influence over events in Kosovo," the director of the Institute for European Studies pointed out.

Zecevic also stressed that a key factor is how the Americans perceive Albin Kurti.

"The crucial issue now is whether they see him as a viable option for continuing governance in Kosovo and with what program. I have the impression that this U.S. administration is quite critical of Kurti’s record and behavior in recent years regarding Serbian-Albanian relations. Therefore, it will be interesting to see whether the Americans still view Kurti as someone who should have political influence in Kosovo," Zecevic concluded.